Method and system for changing operation mode of portable terminal

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for changing an operation mode of a portable terminal includes checking a moving distance of the portable terminal during a predetermined time period using received location information, checking a moving speed of the portable terminal from the checked moving distance and the predetermined time period, and changing the operation mode of the portable terminal to an airplane mode if the checked moving speed is higher than a preset speed.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of a KoreanPatent Application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office onJul. 4, 2011 and assigned Serial No. 10-2011-0066030, the entiredisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to using location information by aportable terminal, and more particularly to changing an operation modeof a portable terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art

Portable terminals such as a smart phone, a tablet PC, etc. provideseveral useful functions to users and have become widely used recently.

With the popular use of the portable terminals, the users of theportable terminals use the portable terminals even during their trip inthe air.

However, the use of the portable terminal on an airplane disturbsoperations of electronic devices of the airplane, such that airlines askpassengers to refrain from using the portable terminals on the airplane,especially during a takeoff or landing.

To prevent an airline service from being disturbed by the use of theportable terminal, the portable terminal provides an airplane mode. Oncethe operation mode of the portable terminal is changed to the airplanemode, the portable terminal blocks its communication function to enablethe user to use the portable terminal on the airplane without negativelyaffecting the airline service. However, the user has to inconvenientlyand manually set on or off of the airplane mode.

Therefore, it is a need for improved scheme to automatically enter orexit the airplane mode of the portable terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a schemewhich allows a user to automatically enter or exit an airplane mode of aportable terminal without negatively affecting an airline service andseparately setting on or off of the airplane mode.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for changingan operation mode of a portable terminal includes checking a movingdistance of the portable terminal during a predetermined time periodusing received location information, checking a moving speed of theportable terminal within the predetermined time period, and changing theoperation mode of the portable terminal to an airplane mode if thechecked moving speed is higher than a preset speed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus forchanging an operation mode of a portable terminal includes a positioningmodule for receiving location information of the portable terminal and acontroller for checking a moving distance of the portable terminalduring a predetermined time period using the received locationinformation, checking a moving speed of the portable terminal within thepredetermined time period, and changing the operation mode of theportable terminal to an airplane mode if the checked moving speed ishigher than a preset speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of an exemplary embodimentof the present invention will be more apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of changing an operationmode of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram for helping understanding of a process ofchanging an operation mode of a portable terminal according to anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present inventionis a mobile electronic apparatus which is easy to carry, examples ofwhich may include a video phone, a general portable phone (e.g., afeature phone), a smart phone, an International Mobile Telecommunication(IMT)-2000 terminal, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)terminal, a Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS) terminal,a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP),a DMB device, an electronic book, a portable computer (e.g., a notebook,a tablet Personal Computer (PC)), a digital camera, and so forth.

A portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present inventionwill be described with reference to FIG. 1 which is a block diagram ofthe portable terminal according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a Radio Frequency (RF) unit 23 performs a wirelesscommunication function of the wireless terminal. The RF unit 23 includesan RF transmitter for up-converting a frequency of a transmission signaland amplifying the transmitted signal and an RF receiver for low-noiseamplifying a received signal and down-converting the frequency of thereceived signal. A modem includes a transmitter for encoding andmodulating the transmission signal and a receiver for demodulating anddecoding the received signal.

An audio processor 25 may constitute a codec including a data codec andan audio codec. The data codec processes packet data and the audio codecprocesses audio signals like voice and a multimedia file. The audioprocessor 25 also converts a digital audio signal received from themodem into an analog audio signal through the audio codec and reproducesthe analog audio signal, or converts an analog audio signal generatedfrom a microphone (MIC) into a digital audio signal through the audiocodec and transmits the digital audio signal to the modem. The codec maybe separately provided or may be included in the controller 10.

When the portable terminal enters an airplane mode, the audio processor25 according to an embodiment of the present invention may output entryto the airplane mode to a user in the form of auditory information (forexample, sound information saying that the portable terminal has enteredthe airplane mode). Once the airplane mode is released, the audioprocessor 25 according to an embodiment of the present invention mayoutput exit from the airplane mode to the user in the form of auditoryinformation (for example, sound information saying that the portableterminal has exited the airplane mode).

A key input unit 27 may include keys for inputting numeric and characterinformation and function keys or a touch pad for setting variousfunctions. When a display unit 50 is implemented with a touch screen ofa capacitive type, a resistive type, etc., the key input unit 27 mayinclude only preset minimum keys, such that the display unit 50 mayreplace a part of the key input function of the key input unit 27.

The key input unit 27 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention provides a function of allowing the user to manually enter orexit the airplane mode.

A memory 30 may include program and data memories. The program memorystores programs for controlling a general operation of the portableterminal The memory 30 may include an external memory such as a CompactFlash (CF), a Secure Digital (SD), a Micro Secure Digital (Micro-SD), aMini-SD, an Extreme Digital (xD), a memory stick, or the like. Thememory 30 may also include a disk such as a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), aSolid State Disk (SSD), etc.

Under control of the controller 10, the memory 30 according to anembodiment of the present invention stores location information of theportable terminal (which may be understood as location information of anairplane which the user boards) in a separate database at predeterminedtime intervals using Ground Positioning System (GPS) informationreceived from a GPS module 60, and may provide the location informationof the portable terminal stored in the database to another component(e.g., the controller 10) if necessary.

The GPS module 60 receives GPS information including information such asephemeris, almanac, etc., together with a coefficient for errorcorrection, to provide location information regarding a current locationof the portable terminal based on a longitude value, a position value,and so forth corresponding to the current location of the portableterminal. For the portable terminal, an Assismous GPS (A-GPS) systemwhich combines an assisted GPS system and an autonomous GPS system isgenerally used due to its short Time To First Fix (TTFF), which is atime required for receiving a GPS signal and calculating the currentlocation.

Meanwhile, a positioning system, such as a GPS, may be classified intoseveral types according to its operating method, e.g., a GlobalNavigation Satellite System (GNSS or GLONASS) and so forth. Thus, theGPS information mentioned in an embodiment of the present invention maybe understood as information which is acquired by at least one of a GPS,a GNSS, a GLONASS, etc., to identify a location of the portableterminal.

The GPS module 60 may be replaced with or used together with a separatehardware or software module capable of providing location information ofthe portable terminal. For example, a function of the GPS module 60which provides location information of the portable terminal may bereplaced with or used together with a positioning function usingtriangulation based on interworking between the RF unit 23 and basestations according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Therefore, a near-field wireless communication module (not shown)including the RF unit 23 and the GPS module 60 according to anembodiment of the present invention may be referred to as a positioningmodule, and may be used alone or in combination with another component.

The display unit 50 may include a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), orPassive Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (PMOLED) or Active MatrixOLED (AMOLED) as an OLED, and outputs display information generated inthe portable terminal. The display unit 50 may include a touch screen ofa capacitive type, a resistive type, or the like to operate as an inputunit for controlling the portable terminal, together with the key inputunit 27.

The controller 10 controls the overall operation of the portableterminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, andmay switch and control the operation of the portable terminal accordingto a user input generated through the key input unit 27 or the displayunit 50. Meanwhile, the controller 10 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention calculates a moving distance corresponding to aper-time location of the portable terminal (or the airplane which theuser boards) from the GPS signal received through the GPS module 60,thus measuring a moving speed of the portable terminal. If thecontroller 10 determines that the measured moving speed of the portableterminal is higher than a preset speed, the controller 10 changes theoperation mode of the portable terminal to the airplane mode. If thecontroller 10 according to an embodiment of the present inventiondetermines that the measured moving speed is lower than thepredetermined speed, the controller 10 exits the airplane mode.

Although devices which can be included in the portable terminal, such asa Ground Positioning System (GPS) module, a camera module, a Bluetoothmodule, a WiFi module, an acceleration sensor, a proximity sensor, ageo-magnetic sensor, a Digital Media Broadcasting (DMB) receiver, etc.are not shown in FIG. 1, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skillin the art that those devices may also be included in the portableterminal to provide corresponding functions.

For example, by using an acceleration sensor and a gyroscope separatelyor in combination, a dynamic force applied to the portable terminal,such as acceleration, a vibration, a shock, etc., and the mechanicalmovement of the portable terminal are measured, thereby acquiring andusing slope information and movement information of the airplane whichthe portable terminal's user boards.

A camera module which allows the user to capture a (still or moving)image may also be included in the portable terminal, such that locationinformation acquired by the GPS module 60 at the time of capturing maybe inserted into a captured image to allow the user to know later thelocation where the image is captured.

When a near-field wireless communication module, such as a Bluetoothmodule, a Near-Field Communication (NFC) module, a WiFi module, or thelike, is included in the portable terminal, the controller 10 accordingto an embodiment of the present invention may implement the embodimentof the present invention by receiving the location information of theportable terminal with the use of the near-field wireless communicationmodule.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of changing the operationmode of the portable terminal according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram for helping understandingof the process of changing the operation mode of the portable terminalaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. With reference toFIGS. 1 through 3, the embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed.

In steps S201 and S202, the controller 10 receives GPS informationthrough the GPS module 60 in operation to measure the current movingspeed of the portable terminal from the GPS information.

Once an airplane which a user carrying the portable terminal boardsenters a taking-off stage, the speed of the airplane graduallyincreases. The controller 10 receives a GPS signal (e.g., locationinformation) received through the GPS module 60 to continuously checkthe location of the portable terminal.

The controller 10 checks a location of the portable terminalcorresponding to time (or a per-time location of the portable terminal),thus measuring a moving speed of the portable terminal during apredetermined time period. Thus, once the airplane gradually increasesits speed for take-off, the controller 10 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention determines whether the moving speed of theairplane (which may be the moving speed of the portable terminal)reaches a preset threshold. Note that determining a speed of an objector airplane within a predefined time period using the locationinformation and time is well known in the art.

Referring to FIG. 3, the preset threshold corresponds to an airplane'smoving speed V1. Generally, lift necessary for the flight of theairplane can be acquired when the airplane moves at a speed of 250 km/h,and the speed for the airplane's take-off may be changed according tothe number of passengers or the weight of freight on the airplane.

Therefore, the preset threshold (that is, the preset speed V1) in theembodiment of the present invention may be preferably set to anairplane's moving speed of 200 km/h through 250 km/h.

However, since transmission (Tx) signaling of the portable terminalduring the taking-off stage of the airplane is a main cause formalfunction of the airplane, for the smooth taking-off of the airplane,the preset threshold (or the preset speed or threshold speed) V1 may beproperly selected in a range of 150 km/h through 200 km/h.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the threshold speed V1 forchanging the operation mode of the portable terminal to the airplanemode may be set, but not limited to, in a range of 150 km/h through 200km/h or in a range of 200 km/h through 250 km/h.

Further, when the user inputs information regarding a type of theairplane (e.g., a flight ID that the user uses, a model name of theairplane, etc.) or the number of passengers in a setting menu related tothe airplane mode, V1 may be changed reflecting to the inputinformation. The information regarding the type of the airplane or thenumber of passengers may be provided from an external server such as aserver of an airline (or a travel agency).

In steps S203 and S204, if determining that the measured moving speed ofthe portable terminal is higher than the preset speed, the controller 10changes the operation mode of the portable terminal to the airplanemode.

If determining that the moving speed of the airplane (e.g., the movingspeed of the portable terminal) reaches the preset speed V1 shown inFIG. 3, the controller 10 determines that the portable terminal islocated in the airplane and about to take off soon.

If so, the controller 10 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention changes the operation mode of the portable terminal to theairplane mode. Once the operation mode of the portable terminal ischanged to the airplane mode, the communication function of the portableterminal, which may disturb the airplane's take-off, is restricted bythe controller 10.

In steps S205 and S206, if determining that the portable terminal movesat a moving speed lower than the preset speed after changing to theairplane mode, the controller 10 exits the airplane mode.

Referring to FIG. 3, after a point in time t1 at which the airplane'smoving speed reaches V1, the airplane takes off and makes a successfulflight. At a point in time t2 after the airplane continues flying fromt1 to t2 (e.g., before or after t2), the airplane reduces its speed toland.

Generally, in the airplane mode, transmission and reception of everysignal in the portable terminal are not stopped. For example, functionsrelated to Tx signaling of a near-field wireless communication module(e.g., a Bluetooth module, an NFC module, or a wireless Local AreaNetwork (LAN)) and the RF unit 23 are mainly blocked, and a component,such as the GPS module 60, which only performs reception (Rx) signaling,may not stop operating.

Therefore, even when the portable terminal enters the airplane modeaccording to an embodiment of the present invention, the GPS module 60according to an embodiment of the present invention continues receivingthe GPS signal, which less instructive. Thus, the controller 10according to an embodiment of the present invention may continuouslymeasures the moving speed of the portable terminal through the GPSsignal received in the airplane mode.

That is, the GPS module 60 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention may receive GPS information even when the portable terminalenters the airplane mode and operates in the airplane mode, and thecontroller 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention maydetermine that the airplane is going to land soon if the moving speed V1of the airplane reaches V1 before or after t2 shown in FIG. 3.

If determining that the airplane is going to land soon, the controller10 changes the operation mode of the portable terminal from the airplanemode to a general mode (e.g., an idle mode or a normal mode) to wait foruser's input. Preferably, after an elapse of a predetermined time period(e.g., a time until completion of landing of the airplane after 10seconds or more) from t2, the controller 10 may change the operationmode of the portable terminal from the airplane mode to the generalmode, and such setting may be changed by a user or a manufacturer for amore preferable embodiment.

When the portable terminal moves at a speed lower than the preset speed(e.g., V1), it may not be desirable to unconditionally exit the airplanemode and enter the general mode. For example, in a general useenvironment of the portable terminal (e.g., in case of movement on footor by car), the moving speed of the portable terminal may be much lowerthan the taking-off or landing speed of the airplane.

Therefore, the controller 10 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention exits the airplane mode only when the portable terminal movesat a speed higher than the preset speed and enters the airplane mode,then terminal moves at a speed lower than the preset speed. Thus, it ispossible to prevent the power of the portable terminal from being wastedby unnecessarily checking the operation mode of the portable terminal orreleasing the airplane mode when the portable terminal does not operatein the airplane mode.

That is, in steps S205 and S206, the controller 10 according to anembodiment of the present invention exits the airplane mode and entersthe general mode, after changing the operation mode of the portableterminal to the airplane mode due to taking-off of the airplane as insteps S201 through S204.

While it has been described in FIG. 3 that the taking-off speed and thelanding speed of the airplane are equally higher than or lower than V1,they are not necessarily so. In other words, since the taking-off speedand the landing speed of the airplane may be different from each other,the moving speed of the airplane before or after entry to the airplanemode is V1 and the moving speed thereof before or after exit from theairplane mode may be a value (e.g., V2 (not shown)) which is differentfrom V1.

As can be seen from the foregoing description, when the user is on theairplane, the portable terminal automatically enters or exits theairplane mode without user's separate manipulation, thereby improvinguser convenience and preventing malfunction of the airplane.

The above-described methods according to the present invention can beimplemented in hardware, firmware or as software or computer code thatcan be stored in a recording medium such as a CD ROM, an RAM, a floppydisk, a hard disk, or a magneto-optical disk or computer code downloadedover a network originally stored on a remote recording medium or anon-transitory machine readable medium and to be stored on a localrecording medium, so that the methods described herein can be renderedin such software that is stored on the recording medium using a generalpurpose computer, or a special processor or in programmable or dedicatedhardware, such as an ASIC or FPGA. As would be understood in the art,the computer, the processor, microprocessor controller or theprogrammable hardware include memory components, e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash,etc. that may store or receive software or computer code that whenaccessed and executed by the computer, processor or hardware implementthe processing methods described herein. In addition, it would berecognized that when a general purpose computer accesses code forimplementing the processing shown herein, the execution of the codetransforms the general purpose computer into a special purpose computerfor executing the processing shown herein.

While the present invention has been described in detail, an embodimentmentioned in the course of description is merely illustrative ratherthan restrictive and changes in components that can be substitutedequivalently in the present invention also fall within the scope of thepresent invention, without departing from the technical spirit and scopeof the invention as provided in the accompanying claims.

1. A method for changing an operation mode of a portable terminal, themethod comprising: determining a moving distance of the portableterminal during a predetermined time period using received locationinformation; determining a moving speed of the portable terminal withinthe predetermined time period; and changing the operation mode of theportable terminal to an airplane mode if the moving speed is higher thana preset speed.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the locationinformation is acquired using Global Positioning System (GPS)information.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the preset speedcomprises a taking-off speed of an airplane.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising changing the operation mode of the portable terminalfrom the airplane mode to a general mode if the moving speed is lowerthan the preset speed.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the changing tothe general mode comprises: determining whether the operation mode ofthe portable terminal is changed to the airplane mode when the movingspeed of the portable terminal is higher than the preset speed; anddetermining whether the moving speed of the portable terminal is lowerthan the preset speed after changing the operation mode of the portableterminal to the airplane mode, and if the moving speed of the portableterminal is lower than the preset speed, changing the operation mode ofthe portable terminal from the airplane mode to the general mode.
 6. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the preset speed comprises a landing speed ofan airplane.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing theoperation mode of the portable terminal from the airplane mode to ageneral mode only when the portable terminal previously traveled at aspeed higher than the preset speed during the airplane mode and, thennow traveling at a speed lower than the preset speed.
 8. An apparatusfor changing an operation mode of a portable terminal, comprising: apositioning module for receiving location information of the portableterminal; and a controller for determining a moving distance of theportable terminal during a predetermined time period using the receivedlocation information, determining a moving speed of the portableterminal within the predetermined time period, and changing theoperation mode of the portable terminal to an airplane mode if themoving speed is higher than a preset speed.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8,wherein the location information is Global Positioning System (GPS)information, and the positioning module comprises a GPS module.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the preset speed comprises a taking-offspeed of an airplane.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein thecontroller changes the operation mode of the portable terminal from theairplane mode to a general mode if the checked moving speed is lowerthan the preset speed.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein thecontroller, determines whether the operation mode of the portableterminal is changed to the airplane mode if the moving speed of theportable terminal is higher than the preset speed; and determineswhether the moving speed of the portable terminal is lower than thepreset speed after changing the operation mode of the portable terminalto the airplane mode, and changes the operation mode of the portableterminal from the airplane mode to the general mode if the moving speedof the portable terminal is lower than the preset speed.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the preset speed comprises a landingspeed of an airplane.
 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein thecontroller further changes the operation mode of the portable terminalfrom the airplane mode to a general mode only when the portable terminalpreviously traveled at a speed higher than the preset speed during theairplane mode and, then now traveling at a speed lower than the presetspeed.